Michael Blakey
From the Tribune, Chandigarh:
Dharamsala, November 28
A 23-year-old British tourist, Michael James Blakey, was found murdered in McLeodganj, near here, today. His body was found in a nullah, about 100 metres from St John’s Church.
He wasn’t really a tourist. He was a volunteer for a charity working with slum kids. He was also my friend.
I met Mike as a chaplaincy student. He came round my house many times. He read my blog (and last left a comment a couple of weeks ago, in fact). His generosity, decency and honesty were unparallelled. Mike, like so many of us, knew where his conscience was leading him, but unlike so very many of us, he followed.
I remember one day, Mike came round with a bag full of CDs, good ones. He had too much stuff, he said. He wanted to lighten the load, he said. That’s my defining memory of Michael James Blakey: he may have lived in this world, but he wore it lightly and shone so much more brightly than many of us as a result.
The world - particularly the world of so many of us who knew him, some well, some not so well - is diminished with his loss.
Tracy and I will miss him very much, and I know that so will many others.
[Edit: Alice has received updates from the directors of the charity of which Mike was a trustee, here and here.]
[Edit 2: Pamela pays the best tribute to Mike I have seen.]
November 30th, 2006 at 12:25 am
Like anyone who knew Mike and has heard this terrible news, I know the world somehow feels a bit darker and evil this night.
Wood’s comment that Mike knew where his conscience was leading him and actually followed was so true of the man. A real doer, someone who always challenged you, yet always understanding of why you couldn’t do it. Whenever I felt guilty of not being like him, he would be the first to reassure me of why I was doing the right thing for me, and that I didnt have to be there with him. I only wish now that I was.
Beyond that words fail me, the world truly has lost one of the good people.
November 30th, 2006 at 2:37 pm
what George said.
I always wanted to be more like Michael, and I never felt that i got any nearer.
He was always sure that you had to do what was right for you - and he did what was right for him.
I now very strongly feel that what is right for me is not to leave the work that Michael started undone. I want to follow in his footsteps, and really start trying to make a difference to the world, not just saying that i would if i could. I dont know what that involves yet, but i cant not do anything.
Wood was right, and so well put about Michael ‘wearing this world lightly’. That’s the dest description i’ve seen. He knew there was more, an he knew that it didnt matter how you got there, just that you did.
And now he is there. Where he searched for for a long time.
I hope he knows how loved he is here, and what a differencehe amde to so many of us.
I cant express what i want to with mere words, there was more to Mike than can possibly be expressed without actually meeting him. And to all tose who knew him, i dont need to describe.
November 30th, 2006 at 7:52 pm
What a waste of a young life - someone who was not touring the world having a good time but was actually doing somethng positive to change the world for the better.
Rest in Peace.
December 1st, 2006 at 9:47 am
[...] My thoughts are with my friends in Swansea who are mourning the loss of Michael Blakey. I didn’t know him, but their tributes are powerful: Wood, Alice, Richard, Sarah, Jacqui, Malcolm. [...]
December 1st, 2006 at 4:06 pm
I worked with Michael in Swansea and have just heard the tragic news. My thoughts are with his family and friends, he was a fabulous person and will be sadly missed.
December 2nd, 2006 at 12:35 pm
he wore the world lightly… thanks, that’s a lovely phrase
December 3rd, 2006 at 1:46 pm
Michael was such a wonderful person. Anna and I have only known Michael for two years, but in that time he made an enormous impact on our lives. Michael was one of the prime movers in setting up Tong-Len Charitable Trust in 2004 and was a founding trustee of Tong-Len UK (the fundraising arm of Tong-Len). Anna and I were introduced to Michael through our daughter, Rachel, who has been working alongside him during these past 5 months.
I will miss Michael terribly and my heart goes our to his parents at this time. He was an inspiration to us all. He had so many plans for helping the displaced communities in India. We want to make his vision a reality by setting up a memorial to him at Tong-Len.
It has been wonderful reading all the tributes to Michael. These, I am sure, would be a great comfort to his family and to all his friends.
May God help and support us all through these difficult times.
Gareth
Treasurer of Tong-Len UK
gareth@tong-len.org
December 5th, 2006 at 10:06 pm
Comments read. Tears return.
My thoughts on my blog. No more to say now.
With Love
December 19th, 2006 at 3:00 pm
I am so very proud of the tremendous work and effort that Michael put in to his short life. I want to express my sincere thanks to all his many many friends and colleagues, who helped him make all this possible through their kind help and friendship. His life’s work and determined spirit will live on in all of us.
I wish to thank you all for your kind comforting cards, tributes & letters to our family & the much appreciated donations to Michael’s memorial fund -justgiving & also through Tong Len charity fund. (Donations which have been sent directly to me will be forwarded to the fund). This all helps immensely to keep Michael’s dreams alive
“A waste of a life but a life far from wastedâ€.
Love & thanks to all. God bless.
Paul Blakey. [Michael's Dad]